They say home is where the heart is – is it?
Welcome home, you think to yourself as you open the door to your house after some time away. Maybe it was an extended vacation. Or you were off to school. But deep down, something feels… Off. Why are you itching to get back to school, as stressful as it was? Why is nothing as you remembered it? Have you really changed that much?
Well, maybe you're just missing a memory. Here are the signs:
1. You have your own space… but you really miss your roommate!
Sure, those dorm rooms can be pretty cramped. But even sharing the world's most ineffective mini fridge with your best friend beats being lonely at home! From game nights to study sessions, your roommate was there for you. Now, they're so much farther away than across the room, and it sucks.
2. You were excited to take a break from classes, but now you have a job or MORE classes.
Yay! Summer! Beach days and sleeping in! Yeah, right. With work, online classes, and keeping routines, you're just as busy as you were during the school year.
3. You get your pets back! But your allergies come back with a vengeance.
Being pet-free during the school year is the absolute WORST. But, just when you get to spend time with Fido and Oreo again, your body remembers that it's allergic to cats. And now you're suffering. But they're just so cute, so you dose up on Zyrtec and pretend not to suffer.
4. Summer seems to be speeding by in a blink, and you feel like you haven’t done anything yet.
Beach days! Shopping sprees! Lunch dates! When was it August already? You've barely accomplished a quarter of what you wanted to this summer, and now you're almost ready to pack for another year at school. This isn't what you wanted out of your summer break at all!
5. You find yourself counting down the days until you’re back on campus.
family weekend at Susquehanna University
Naomi Cohen
Those little nitpicky fights you have with your siblings or parents have you counting down the days until you can be on your own again. No one to tell you what to do and where to be! You're enjoying the break, but you're actually really ready to go back to school.
6. The group chat you made with your “school friends” is as active as ever while you hear crickets from your high school groupchat.
The Squad's groupchat
Naomi Cohen
Your friends from school are keeping you updated with every little thing. Yet, you phone a friend from home, and you get crickets. I miss my school friends and all of our fun! #FridayNightGameNight
7. Your texts and conversations start with "Remember when..."
"Remember when we did this?" It looks like you're just looking at old memories, rather than making new ones. Maybe that's a good sign that things aren't how they used to be.
8. You’ve answered so many questions about school that you could write a book about the experience.
Susquehanna University
susquehannau on Instagram
"How was your first year?" "How was school?" "Do you like it there?" "How long are you home for?"
I'm good, school's good, I can't WAIT to go back.
9. Other people tell you that you’ve changed.
Maybe you'll eat different things now, or you make your bed, or you sleep in way too late. Or maybe you hold your own in an argument, or you enjoy doing different things. Other people tell you that there's a new you.
10. YOU realize that you’ve changed while you were away, and all you’re missing are the memories of what used to be.
Once you start to realize that you've changed, everything falls into place. You're only missing what used to be, and there's no going back. You've had a great time while you were away, but time has changed you, and all you're stuck with is what came before.
